Odisha Assembly Issues Notification for Rajya Sabha By-Election

The Odisha Assembly announced the election process for a vacant Rajya Sabha seat, following the resignation of MP Mamata Mohanta. Nominations are open until August 21, with elections set for September 3. The ruling BJP is expected to secure the seat given its majority in the state legislature.

The Odisha Assembly on Wednesday issued a notification for the election of one Rajya Sabha seat, setting off the nomination filing process.

This follows the resignation of Mamata Mohanta, a Rajya Sabha MP, who also quit the BJD on July 31, two years before her term ended. She was elected on April 3, 2020.

The election will take place on September 3, along with elections for 11 other vacant seats across nine states.

According to the notification, the last date for filing nominations is August 21, and scrutiny is set for August 22. The deadline for withdrawal of candidatures is August 27.

BJD, which previously held nine of Odisha's 10 Rajya Sabha seats, now has eight seats following Mohanta's resignation. The vacant seat is likely to go to the ruling BJP, which commands a majority with 78 MLAs in the 147-member House.

(With inputs from agencies.)